Legends of Shannar: Shannar of the Branded Ones
by pmochizuki
Summary: STORY COMPLETE! Part 1 of the TwoParter Legends of Shannar, the history of Shannar and his descendants, how they are bound to the Ring of Doom
1. Shannar

Shannar of the Branded Ones  
  
Book One of the Legends of Shannar  
  
By Priscilla Stafford  
  
Author's Note: This story was originally called "To Vanquish the Shadows". "Shannar of the Branded Ones" is book one of the Legends of Shannar, a compilation of many short stories depicting the legends of Shannar and his descendants.  
  
I would like to give special thanks to Makiko Imamura and Maria Kanai, my best friends, who are encouraging me and giving me ideas for this story. I was at first going to write a story about what if there was one more person in the Fellowship of the Ring? But someone mentioned the plot has been done to death. So this story I've changed to tell about the legends of Shannar and his descendant's. Hope you enjoy it!  
  
I have tried to keep as much as I can to J.R.R. Tolkien's books. If there are ANY mistakes, please tell. All right here it goes!"  
  
And on an extra note, the only real reason I'm rating this fanfiction PG-13 is because of some slight action/adventure violence, but nothing too bad. No bad language, strong violence, or other problems in my story.  
  
Chapter 1: "Shannar"  
  
If anyone in the battle field were to look at one of the small ridges a short ways away, they would have spied a group of four on horseback. If that certain someone was an Elf, he would have seen that these men were all warriors, lean in frame yet their posture and stance was obviously of one accustomed to fight. Clothed in black and wearing no armor, the only contrast of color was a cape of forest green.  
  
The leader of the group, Shannar surveyed the scene before him. It was all too obvious that Sauron's forces would triumph. He had to admit that he was surprised how long the army of men and elves were holding out. If only... no. There was no use thinking that way. There was no hope for Middle Earth, there was no hope for him.  
  
Once again the heaviness in his heart felt so strong he almost couldn't breathe. 'No hope'. The words kept going over and over into his head. If only things had been different. If only he hadn't been so naïve. If only... if only. There was no use wishing for the past to miraculously change. Shannan was a warrior, he would face whatever the future had in store for him, no matter how bleak the future at the moment looked.  
  
Shannar glanced behind him. His companions were still with him. He knew that inside each and every one of them, the same cold tendrils of despair were seeping deep into their souls.  
  
It was only through sheer will power that Shannar returned his eyes to the battle scene of horror before him. But in the brief time it took to ensure his friends were still present, the tide of the war had changed. Here and there, bands of warrior men and elves were breaking through the masses of orcs. Hope unbidden sprouted in Shannar.  
  
But in moments the seed was crushed. The air stilled as the light winds that had been blowing all day stopped. Time seemed to be frozen. Even before Shannar could actually see for a fact, he knew. Sauron had arrived. And on his finger, was the Ring. Shannar felt the power of the Ring radiate towards him, a power so dark that it almost took his breath away. He had figured that after all this time he would be used to the power of the Ring, but it was never to be.  
  
With mighty force, Sauron had elves and men flying left and right as he swung his staff. Shannar slumped a bit in his saddle as the grim events took place. Sauron was just too powerful. There was nothing that could stop him. He was a fool to think otherwise.  
  
Sauron struck King Elendil and the man fell back, his head hitting the rocks beneath his feet. Shannan knew in an instant that he was dead. Someone ran towards the body, cradling the king's head. Shannar squinted his eyes a bit to make out the face and realized it was Isildur, the dead king's son.  
  
Sauron approached the man and the dead body. Isildur tried to raise his father's sword but the Dark Lord with little difficulty brought his foot upon it, shattering the sword. The sword Narsil was naught but a broken blade now. Sauron reached down to grab the fallen man.  
  
But Isildur was not one to give up. With a broad sweep of his broken sword, he defended himself. The end of the sword missed the dark being completely, but whether by luck or skill, Isildur cut the fingers off the outstretched hand. And with the fingers, the Ring separated from its Master.  
  
The scene had barely registered into Shannar's brain when agony ripped through his whole being. The Ring and its Master's cry of anger swept through his mind in a torrent, like a wave crashing against cliff. The pain was too great for Shannar; he fell from his horse with his head in his hands. Shannan was sure he was dying and calmed a bit. In his heart he accepted his fate and waited for the end.  
  
Suddenly, the pain stopped. Shannan almost didn't believe the fact and stayed still on the ground. Only then did he realize he had been squeezing his eyes shut. He was still alive! Slowly opening his shut eyes, he saw his friends also on the ground.  
  
Forgetting the dull throbbing that remained in his head, Shannar crawled towards Gwenor. Gwenor was unconscious and after a quick inspection found that he had hit his head when he fell off his horse. Nothing serious but he would have a nasty headache when he woke up. The leader looked around to the other two members who were by now starting to sit up on their own. Besides looking paler than usual, Dane seemed to be all right and the same could be said for Mithlen. Shannar felt tears of relief threatening to fill his eyes. If something had happened to them, he would never have forgiven himself.  
  
Shannar brought his hand up to push his dark hair away from his face, only to find that his hands were trembling. Now was not a time for such weakness. Shannar pushed himself up onto his feet but almost lost his balance when he knees buckled. The warrior forced himself to remain standing. He looked to where Sauron had last stood. What remained were the armor and the helmet which Sauron had been wearing. But where was the Ring? Shannar was determined to find it and have it destroyed. And he knew that there was only one way to destroy it.  
  
"Dane, stay here and take care of Gwenor. Mithlen, follow me."  
  
Dane, always the outspoken one, said. "And where are you going?"  
  
"To once and for all rid us of our captor." Without waiting for a reply, Shannar strode over to his horse who had not gone far, leaped into the saddle, and began galloping towards where the Ring had been. Confident that Mithlen was right behind him, the dark-haired warrior didn't turn back, intent on his purpose.  
  
When he arrived at his destination, he saw that Isildur had taken the Ring into the palm of his hand. Next to him stood a dark-haired Elf. Elrond was his name, and the Lord of Rivendell and everything about him made it impossible to think otherwise. Though dirty from battle with his armor stained with the blood of orcs, he face held the look of royal dignity.  
  
Shannar skidded to a halt in front of the two of royal blood. "Destroy the Ring! Only then will the darkness ever be vanquished!"  
  
Elrond looked at him strangely. "Who are you?" he demanded.  
  
Shannar shook his head. "That is not important. What's important is to destroy the Ring."  
  
The Elf did not look pleased but conceded to the fact that the strange man was right. The Elf Lord looked at Isildur. "Follow me. We must cast it into the fires of Mount Doom."  
  
Isildur for a moment did not move, then stared down intently at the Ring. Shannar paled, could the Ring have recovered so quickly after being cutting away from his master? Could it even be now corrupting the heart of the man before him?  
  
A lifetime seemed to pass until Isildur finally got up and followed the Elf. Shannar sighed relief. He must have been only imagining Isildur's hesitation.  
  
Shannar faced Mithlin. The warrior seemed to sense his leader's turmoil and spoke. "I will see make sure Gwenor is all right."  
  
Shannar once again thanked Valar for such companion as Mithlin. "Thank you Mithlin. You know Gwenor. If he had been awake, by now he would have come to join us. Maybe the head injury was worse than I had originally thought. I'm not sure if he'll forgive me for leaving him behind."  
  
The other man chuckled then left. While Mithlin rode back to the others, Shannar got off his horse and went off to follow Isildur and Elrond. He had not realized how quickly they had gone and rushed to gain on them. He followed the paths which would lead him deep into the center of Mount Doom.  
  
Before long, he was standing before the path which led to the dark door of Sammath Naur. But more out of habit than anything else, he chose the shortest path to another ledge overlooking the fires of Orodruin. No one but Sauron was allowed to enter Sammath Naur. In minutes he had reached the ledge and was surprised to find that neither the Elf nor man was there. It was then he realized that they must have taken the other path. He looked upwards to the opening leading from the door of Sammath Naur. Curiously, only Elrond was there, his back stiff with his hands clenched.  
  
Shannar looked around to see if there was a way up without him having to backtrack all the way to the forked passage. Fortunately, there was a small path against the sides of the mountain and with careful steps he climbed. But as he climbed, he kept thinking why he had not felt anything when the Ring was destroyed. He could still remember the terrible agony he was in when the Ring had been cut from Sauron's finger, why hadn't he felt something now?  
  
When he was finally able to stand in front of Elrond, he asked, "Where's Isildur?"  
  
Shannar was almost afraid the Elf wouldn't answer for his face was so hard it was as if it was etched from stone. Then suddenly the Lord of Rivendell spoke, "Isildur has left."  
  
"The he destroyed the Ring?"  
  
A moment of silence. "No."  
  
Shannar felt the world crash down on him. He fell to his knees with his head bowed, his mind still in a daze. It couldn't be. he had been so close. All he wanted to do right now was rush down to the foot of the hill, take the Ring from Isildur, and vanquish the terrible object which was the reason for his bondage. But it was too late, by now Isildur was with his men. And even with all of his powers, he wouldn't get beyond the first few soldiers. He knew how dedicated the men were to both Isildur and his late father. Shannar felt himself whisper, almost absently, "So close..."  
  
Elrond was looking at him strangely, a questioning look in his face. The questioning look then turned to a one of certainty. "You are of the Tainted Four, are you not?"  
  
Shannar jerked his head up. "How did you know? Not many have heard of us."  
  
"I have heard how Sauron had taken four craftsmen of renowned skill before the creation of the Ring. And though Sauron himself forged the Ring, you four were present." Here the Elf paused then continued. "They say that during the forging, the darkness emanating from Sauron had tainted you and a dark power had befallen on you."  
  
Shannar gave a harsh laugh and said bitterly, "Not power, oh not, never power." His gaze softened. "A curse." Elrond's silence cued him to carry on. "I will never forget the day the army of orcs came into my village. To think that they were ordered to leave nothing alive but to capture me and bring me to their Lord. Everyone was killed, nobody left alive."  
  
The kneeling warrior heaved a huge sigh. "I was taken to Sauron. Myself and three others were ordered to make the tools he would need to forge the One Ring." Shannar smiled. "We had no choice but to obey. Beautiful works of art they were, too, only to be used to make such a terrible weapon for such an evil Lord. It's strange, he had Noldor smiths, including Celebrimbor, to help forge the other Rings, but had us four, common craftsman, help create the One Ring." Next he shuddered. "It was awful to see him forge the master Ring, it was like he was pouring himself into it. His cruelty, his malice, and his darkness. It was terrible. After that my companions and I were never the same. It was like our very souls were tainted. And the curse."  
  
Shannar remembered when he had been first presented a sword. He remembered the weight of it when pressed into his hand. From that moment on, he was no longer Shannar the simple craftsman. He was Shannar, spy and warrior for the Dark Lord. He had never fought in his life but from within him came a strange power, reflexes and instincts he would never have imagined himself capable of. With the darkness eating up inside of him, he was no more than a killing monster. He would never be able to forgive himself for what he had done while serving Sauron. But Sauron's will was embedded in him; all he could do was obey. Shannar looked at his hands, hands which used to be unblemished with fingers slender and strong, the skilled fingers of a man good at his craft. Now, calloused and scarred, they were the hands of a warrior whose sword had claimed many lives.  
  
The man was startled out of his reverie when the Elf Lord spoke. "Another name you have is 'i yulmë queni', or 'the Branded Ones'."  
  
Shannar took off his wrist guards around each of his wrists were letterings burned into the skin. The warrior did not have to read the words to know what they said. Around the right, 'Ash nazg durbatulúk, ash nazg gimbatul,' and around the left, 'Ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.' The words were too terrible to say in the Black Tongue but Shannar spoke the words in the common tongue.  
  
"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,  
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them."  
  
Shannar immediately after speaking put his wrist guards back on, got to his feet then turned to leave. The Elf stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Where will you go?"  
  
"The Ring will try to call to me, to use me for its own evil purpose and," this he vehemently spit out, "I will not let it. I will get as far away as I can, there is nothing that ties me here. And surely people will not accept me for what I was." He absent mindedly grabbed around one of his wrists. "For what I am... No, they will not. I shall leave this place"  
  
"But where."  
  
"To the Northern Wastes."  
  
"Then I wish you luck. I know it will not do any more good to try to reason with Isildur, but I will keep my eye on the Ring." Elrond went ahead and left Shannar to himself.  
  
Shannar watched him leave until he was out of site. The warrior was finally left to himself to think out his thoughts. Yes, it would be best if he left. He wouldn't force the others to come also, but he knew that their loyalty to him would keep them all together. He searched his mind and soul and felt that much of the darkness had fled him since Sauron's demise. But still, in the furthermost corner of his heart, his till felt tainted. He was sure that the fact will never change while the Ring was not yet destroyed.  
  
But since that morning, Shannar felt a change in him. He was still the same person, but something. after some thought he realized what it was and gave a half smile. There was a hope for his future, it was small but still hope. Though he was yet not free of the Ring, he was no longer a captive of Sauron.  
  
**********  
  
Shannar, Mithlin, Dane, and Gwenor left Mordor and headed north to the Northern Wastes. Along the way, they met with a group of villagers whose village had been burned. Though Sauron was destroyed, his scattered army of orcs continued to pillage and loot the town of villages of Middle Earth.  
  
Full of compassion, Shannar and his group offered the villagers to come with them to the north for they had no where else to go. The villagers readily agreed for a chance to join up with the warriors who also promised for protection.  
  
And so the continued in the journey. Every step which took them farther and farther away from the land of darkness, the lighter the Tainted Four's hearts began to be. But soon, it was too hard to keep the secret of the four's true identity. When a group of orcs ambushed them, Shannar and his men fought and destroyed them with their powerful skill. At first, the villagers were frightened of the warriors, but by then they had already begun to love and trust them. Whatever their past, the people decided to follow them.  
  
At last they reached the mountains of Angmar and a bit further out to the West in the valley of a small mountain range they settled. They built a town and soon they prospered, though small and scarce their crops were at first. But steadily, the town grew.  
  
Shannar was made a Lord and leader of the village and the people loved him. Mithlin, Dane, and Gwenor were made Captains and soon each married and had their own family. But though Shannar seemed happy, he was restless and would often wander the mountains in solitary. The people whispered among themselves that the Ring was trying to call him back. But all changed when Shannar fell in love the lovely maiden Enya, and for years to come, everyone would say there was never a happier and more lovely couple than they.  
  
But to the horror of Shannar and his Captains, their children were born with the mark around their wrists. Though not branded, the words were gold in color and the letterings were so fine they were barely distinguishable. Shannar realized that the curse will live on through their bloodlines. Along with the brand, their offspring were given to some extent the same warrior skills as their fathers, speed and instincts no mortal would be expected to have.  
  
For the longest time, Shannar forbade teaching the arts of fighting to his children. For years he fought with the idea, never wanting his children to feel the darkness he had felt and still felt inside of him.  
  
Author's Note: "So, what do you think? I hope you've liked it so far! Please review and give me your opinions. I will accept criticism and suggestions but please don't be too mean about them! Thank you! 


	2. A Dream and a Pledge

Shannar of the Branded Ones  
  
Book One of the Legends of Shannar  
  
By Priscilla Stafford  
  
Chapter 2: A Dream and a Pledge  
  
Shannar could not sleep. He had felt so restless that he decided to go out into the mountains. For some reason, he always felt at peace and the silence soothed his spirit.  
  
Upon reaching his favorite spot, he stopped and lay down on the ground. He couldn't stop thinking of the argument he had had with his oldest son. Ennar was now fifteen, a grown man he thought of himself. At that though, Shannar smiled. He couldn't believe how fast his children were growing up.  
  
But that night, Ennar had once again brought up the subject of Shannar's past. The aging man sighed deeply. All he wanted to do was protect his children. He knew that once he started teaching Ennar the art of fighting using their special powers, the call of the Ring inherited by Shannar would begin to eat away at their own hearts. Even now, Shannar felt in the corner of his mind the whisperings of the Ring. Though faraway, it still nagged at his brain.  
  
He tried to ignore the call as much as possible, but this morning entirely against his will he had listened for a moment. But that moment had eaten away his defensive barrier and his carefully put up mind block had weakened. He had heard words as clearly as he would from a mortal, "Find me." Clear and simple, the words 'find me' had rang in his head like a gong. Luckily out of practice he turned away from the voice and tried to forget it. But he could never forget...  
  
He loved his son so much, if only Ennar could understand the turmoil he had to live through every day. He had to admit though, after finding love in the form of Enya, his life was full of light. But could he really trust his son to not give into the darkness? No, he would never chance it. Finally determining that his choice was the right one, he fell asleep.  
  
In his dream he found himself in a beautiful garden. After walking around, he found himself looking upon a strange sight. Many chairs were put in a circle, a pedestal in the middle of the circle. Representatives of the races of Middle Earth arrived, and upon being seated, looked toward the lone standing person, apparently the leader. Shannar was amazed to see it was the Elf, Lord Elrond!  
  
Then the dream became stranger. A small person, the size and stature of a young child, stepped forward and placed something on the pedestal. It was the Ring! Without warning, the pedestal came on fire and though everyone tried, no one could stop it. The Ring seemed to grow a little and it began to whisper words of corruption. Soon, instead of working together, the people began arguing and shouting at each other. Shannar cried out, "Someone, take the Ring and destroy it!"  
  
Suddenly, the same small person whom he has seen earlier strode forward to the pedestal and took the Ring and put it on a chain around his neck. One by one, men, an elf, a dwarf, and a few more of the strange small people went towards the middle of the circle. They spoke these words, "We will take the Ring."  
  
Shannar hear Elrond speak. "Is there anyone here who would honor the memory of Shannar and his men and represent them in this quest?"  
  
Shannar looked around and was surprised to see that now standing behind him were his children all grown up and many, many more people similar in appearances. He realized that they were his descendants. But no one stepped forward, in fact, they all started backing away from sight. Shannar suddenly felt tears running down his face and realized that he was crying.  
  
Shannar woke up just then with a start. It was a beautiful morning and the sun's first rays were casting their light onto the mountains. Shannar's thoughts were full of the memory of his dream.  
  
With a strange certainty he felt his dream was a vision of the future. Again he felt the terrible sadness that his descendant's would not help destroy the Ring. Was he a coward to try to ignore the fact that his curse will forever bind him to the Ring? Had his resolution of wanting the Ring to be destroyed compromised? Then and there, Shannar made a decision.  
  
He stood up and spoke aloud. "Middle Earth shall not fall to darkness, not while either I am alive or if any of my descendants are living. Sauron gave me power to use me to fight against all that is good, now I will use it to train my children to fight against all that is evil. I was there at the forging of the One Ring, my descendant shall be there when it is destroyed. May it be that this pledge will come to pass."  
  
**********  
  
Within hours of his decision, Shannar sought out his eldest son. Always been one to wake up at dawn's first light, he found Ennar tending to the horses in their stable.  
  
"Good morning."  
  
The young man turned around and nodded. "You were up at the glade?"  
  
Shannar smiled. His favorite spot had also become a special place for his children who loved to explore. "Son, I have something I wish to tell you." He sat down on one of the upturned buckets and motioned his son to also sit. Ennar hesitantly lowered himself on the ground in front of his father.  
  
"If it's something about last night, I've talked to mother about it already," Ennar rushed ahead. "It's wrong of me to keep bringing up the subject. Though I don't understand the reason, as my father I should respect your decision." He bowed his head. "I'm sorry."  
  
Shannar felt pride for his son. He knew how hard it was for the young man to say what he had just said. Maybe he had been wrong, maybe his son did have the will and the courage to face against the power of the Ring.  
  
"I think you are now old enough to know about why you wear the marks on your wrists." Ennar looked surprised. Never had his father before spoken about it, he seemed afraid to speak on the subject.  
  
Then and there Shannar went on to tell about his terrible past, how Sauron had used him, about the history of the One Ring, and how it was never destroyed. When he was finished, they both fell silent in their own deep thoughts.  
  
The son spoke first, hesitation in his voice. "Father, if you were..." he searched for the right word, "tainted, and since I have the mark, does that mean that..." He didn't finish.  
  
Shannar chose his words carefully. "I don't actually know. I think that because I am cursed, my descendants will forever carry it with them. But I do know that this 'darkness' is something we can fight against. We must never let ourselves be defeated by it. That is why I didn't want to train you. But after much thought, I think that you are ready." Shannar raised his hand before his excited son could speak. "But I want you to make an oath, a pledge if you will. To pledge your service to the destroying of the One Ring. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes." Ennar spoke with the solemnity one would not expect from one his age. "I Ennar, son of Shannar, will pledge my service in the destroying of the One Ring," he paused, then added, "and I do pledge also never give into my darkness."  
  
"Always vanquish the shadows," Shannar repeated. After speaking, for some reason the words touched him in a strange way. After some consideration, Shannar spoke. "Mithlin, Dane, Gwenor, and I were tainted, but for you, the darkness is a shadow. But shadows too may become real to the mind, and eat away your soul." He whispered, "May it never be." Lost in thought, Shannar almost forgot his son's presence.  
  
Ennar didn't know what to do. The silence was becoming a bit too unbearable for his young and impatient mind. Thankfully, his father suddenly stood up and began to walk away. Ennar also got up and began to dust his tunic and pants from the dust of the ground. But when he looked up, without warning his father, who was now many paces away, threw a small object at Ennar's face. Ennar, though surprised at the action, reacted and raised his hand to catch. The object smacked into his hand and he wrapped his fingers around it. Upon looking at the caught item, he found that it was a small pebble. He looked questioningly at his father.  
  
But before he could voice a question, Shannar asked, "How did you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Catch the object. Explain in details how you reacted."  
  
Though his father's strange question threw him off, Ennar did his best to answer him. "I saw you throw something at my face and. I just brought my hand up to catch it."  
  
"Listen closely for this is your first lesson in using your powers. As mortals, we are all born with reflexes which develop over time. For example, it's impossible for young children to do complicated things. As time goes by and they grow older, they develop those reflexes. But those reflexes and instincts are limited."  
  
Shannar took the pebble from Ennar's hand and continued his explanation. "With our powers we are able to go beyond that. In any battle, even a second's delay can get you hurt or even killed. With my capabilities, I can in a way 'see' what is about to happen. It's not necessarily foreseeing the future, it's as if I know what will happen and I react to it."  
  
Seeing his son didn't seem to understand, Shannar searched for an easier explanation. "It's like an echo. You 'see' what is to happen so when whatever it is to happen happens, you can react faster than others could."  
  
Ennar smiled as he finally grasped the concept. Shannar had one cautioning warning though. "But to be able to pay attention to the echoes in your head takes a lot of concentration. You really cannot prolong this state of mind or you will exhaust yourself in both body and mind. So you must balance using your skills and your powers." Shannar grasped his son by the shoulders. "That's enough to fill your head for one day. Go do your chores and if you finish quickly, we can continue a bit more."  
  
***********  
  
After Ennar had left, Shannar had immediately ordered a gathering of his three closest friends. They were now seated in a circle at his home. Shannar had just finished telling Mithlin, Dane, and Gwenor about what had happened that morning, from the dream to his decision.  
  
Gwenor was all for it. "Shannar is right, we cannot try to hold back our children's capabilities. What they do not understand will make them resent us."  
  
"I am only happy that I have only a daughter to worry about," Dane spoke up. "But I do agree with Shannar's decision. We came to the North because we were afraid the Ring would call us. But now that we know our children might also be subject to corruption, we must not hold them back. There is a better chance for them to resist temptation if they are taught what to go up against."  
  
Mithlin, compared to the other two Captains, was a bit more subdued. "Shannar, I have always been one to face my fears and to know what I'm up against. What scares me right now is that we really have no idea where the Ring is at the moment. Last we know, Isildur took it for himself. But anything could have happened since that time."  
  
Shannar spoke, "He is right and I have considered this problem. That is why I have decided to travel to Rivendell and ask Elrond what he knows of its whereabouts."  
  
The other stared at him in surprise. "Will you go alone? It is too dangerous!"  
  
"Please, I think I am old enough to take care of myself." Shannar spoke half jokingly and seriously. "In Rivendell I will find my answers. Once I have found out the Ring's whereabouts, we can make our plans from there."  
  
Mithlin spoke with authority one has when being the oldest, "I must agree that Shannar's idea is sound, we must not just sit back and let events happen which might affect our futures. But I strongly suggest that Shannar not go alone. I of course will not go, I'm a bit too," here he coughed slightly, "old for such travel."  
  
Shannar smiled. "No one could ever accuse you of that, 'old' friend. But we can all be accused of not being of the correct age." There was suddenly an uncomfortable silence and Shannar regretted what he had said. As the years passed, the subject of age had been rarely spoken of. Will the Branded Ones ever know the strangeness of aging, a concept they found strange ever since the Ring had been forged way over 1,800 years ago, was it that long ago?  
  
Shannar strove to change the subject. "But I do agree. Gwenor, Dane, are you up for an adventure?"  
  
Both looked eager to go, for the two men, they had been staying in the peaceful valley a bit too long. The two Captains would follow Shannar anywhere, even to the ends of the earth. Unfortunately for Gwenor though, his family were a priority. "My wife is expecting a child soon, it would be wrong to leave her at such a time. I propose that Dane accompany you."  
  
Dane knew how disappointed the man one. He tried cheer him up, "Are you sure you want to stay? I remember what a nervous wreck you were when Noran was born."  
  
Gwenor gave him a mock glare. "As if you were any better when Danine was born."  
  
Shannar shook his head and changed the subject back to the matter at hand. "So it is decided. We will leave tomorrow."  
  
"You're leaving for where?"  
  
Shannar cringed when he heard his wife's voice coming from the doorway. He had yet to tell her his plans to leave. The other three men seemed to feel the tension. All mumbled a sudden excuse to leave and left as swiftly as their feet would allow.  
  
Enya had left when her husband and his friends had gathered for a meeting. But she couldn't help but stay close by to hear snatches of conversation. She had promised not to interfere or interrupt, but hearing that her husband would be leaving couldn't keep her quiet any longer.  
  
She strode forward to Shannar who was standing uncomfortably in front of her. She considered herself of average height but standing next to her husband made her once again aware how tall he was. Lean yet well-built, he stood well over her. Seeing him now shifting his feet and looking guilty almost made her smile. But she was not one to let him get off the hook easily.  
  
Crossing her arms in front of her, she asked, "When were you expecting to tell me of your departure?"  
  
He sighed. "I was going to tell you right after the others left. You know I would never keep secrets from you on purpose."  
  
"I know that. But Rivendell is so far..."  
  
"Not as far as it was to travel here from Gondor."  
  
"That was so long ago. You're not that young anymore."  
  
"Nor am I too old."  
  
Enya stood silent while Shannar stood awaiting judgment. But he was taken by surprise when she went and embraced him. He automatically put his arms around her and drew her as close as possible. She spoke against his chest, "I don't have any excuse to keep you from going."  
  
"But I do have an excuse to make sure I come back, the best kind of reason." And saying that, Shannar drew back just enough for him to bend down and kiss her. When they were finally able to pull apart, he said with a twinkle in his eye, "I have a beautiful wife who will be waiting for me, and waiting to rescue her from the hundreds of suitors who will use my absence as an opportunity to try to ensnare you."  
  
"Mmmm, I'm not that young either. But anyway, I will only send them away, saying that my heart has already been captured by a handsome warrior who will be coming home soon."  
  
"Are you saying that I'm the handsome warrior?"  
  
"Only if you're saying that I'm the beautiful maiden who will be drawing you back home," Enya answered back playfully.  
  
Shannar became serious. "Enya, nothing can keep me away from you. I promise to come back safe and sound."  
  
Enya replied by once more drawing him into a loving kiss.  
  
**********  
  
Author's Note: Hope you liked this chapter! Please review to tell me what you think! Next chapter will be obviously Shannar's meeting with Elrond at Rivendell. 


	3. Imladris, Home of Elrond

Shannar of the Branded Ones  
  
Book One of the Legends of Shannar  
  
By Priscilla Stafford  
  
Author's Note: Hello! Here is finally the chapter where Shannar will once more meet Elrond. This was somewhat hard chapter to write since Elrond is a very complex character. Please review after reading! Thanks so much to Maki and Maria for their support!  
  
Chapter 3: Imladris, Home of Elrond  
  
It was now almost twenty years since the Last Alliance of Men and Elves. Elrond walked the gardens of Imladris in the peace and quiet of the moonlight. It was times like this that Elrond thought of the lovely Elf maiden Celebrian. Oh, Celebrian, her beauty seemed to flow within him, soft and glowing, tender and radiant. From the moment he had been introduced to her, he had fallen in love. But Elrond was a careful Elf, he would not rush anything. He knew Celebrian shared his love and would marry him without any hesitations. Not yet, but soon...  
  
Elrond stopped suddenly. With his keen Elf hearing and senses, he heard something. Pausing for a bit more, he waited to see if he would hear anything else. But all was quiet once more. Maybe he had imagined it. But then again, maybe he had not. Since the end of Sauron's reign, the land was more or less a safer place. Yet there were still fell and evil things in Middle Earth and Elrond was wary. Something or someone was in his gardens...  
  
**********  
  
Shannar watched the Lord of Elrond stand as still as a statue. He had tried to be as silent as he could but he had been distracted. Shannar was glad that he had persuaded Dane to stay behind, just outside of Rivendell territory. If Elves were able to pick up on the sounds he made, they were sure to hear any noises made by two men.  
  
It had taken almost two weeks to reach Rivendell. Shannar and Dane had taken their swiftest horses so that the two of them were surprised how quickly they had reached their destination. Shannar alone had infiltrated Rivendell, more out of luck than skill. It was very late and the sun had long ago disappeared from the horizon. He had been able to slip past the night guards though altogether to get to the main gardens had taken a few hours. But it was imperative that he entered Imladris unnoticed, no one but Elrond mustn't know that he had visited him.  
  
As he had searched for Elrond, Shannar became lost in his memories. He remembered clearly the morning he left. He had said good-bye to his younger children first. He then stood before his oldest son. Ennar seemed sullen, but that was understandable. His father was his idol, and he was leaving him. He took Ennar by the chin so that were meeting eye to eye. Both sets of eyes were dark brown, passed down from father to son.  
  
"Son, I will soon be back. I trust you take care of family until I return."  
  
"There is nothing to worry about." Sullenness was replaced by sadness. There was also a hint of helplessness. Shannar then presented his son with something wrapped in a cloth. With questions in his eyes, Ennar unwrapped the mysterious object. There lay his hands was something he had never seen before. It was basically shaped like a short sword, the double edged blade the length of his forearm. The only difference was that coming out from the handle on either side of the center blade, were two shorter blades. The overall effect of the weapon resembled a three pronged blade. Ennar did not to feel the blades to know that they were in perfect shape, sharp and deadly.  
  
Shannar explained. "It is called a sai, a very dangerous weapon if used correctly. As you know, I used to be a craftsman. I was also a forger of metal. I designed this and made this myself while I was a warrior. There are two ways to use the sai, either with two sai or with a sword in one hand and the sai in your other. I will be taking its pair with me. But I want you to keep this for me. I will teach you how to use it after I come back." Ennar was at a loss for words. Shannar just smiled then went on to face his wife.  
  
Enya was not one to give into her emotions easily, she was a woman of strength. She stood before her husband and smiled. While they embraced, she spoke quietly in his ear. "That was a good idea of yours to let Ennar hold on to your own sai."  
  
"I didn't just give him my said, I gave him a promise." He backed up a bit then said, "But I also have something to give you." Reaching into his belt pouch, he brought out a piece of wood carved into the shape of a candle. Though small enough to fit into the palm of her hand, Enya's eyes could see the delicate words written around the base: 'My love, my light, forever'.  
  
Enya had not once shed a single tear ever since hearing of her husband's departure. She would be strong for him. But now, holding the present in her hands, she couldn't keep the tears from escaping. "These were the words you spoke to me on our wedding day."  
  
"I would never forget." Shannar then became a bit embarrassed. "It's been a while since I carved something and I didn't have much time..."  
  
Enya stopped him. "Then the gift is all the more special to me."  
  
"I love you." Shannar then gave his wife a brief kiss.  
  
She smiled then answered, "I know."  
  
Shannar was suddenly jolted out of his reverie. Elrond was now calling out for a guard. The intruder almost panicked. Shannar knew Elrond would have the guard search the gardens and he would have to hide somewhere else. After all his patience, he couldn't let Elrond out of his sight. He had wanted to confront Elrond somewhere more private but this seemed as good a chance as he was going to get.  
  
Shannar came out of hiding and revealed himself to the Elf Lord. "My Lord, I am sorry for this intrusion."  
  
Elrond narrowed his eyes at him. "You are no Elf. Who are you to come in uninvited?"  
  
"No, I am not. But we have met before. To be specific, we met almost twenty years ago, at the foot of Mount Doom."  
  
The Elf became speechless then whispered, "Shannar?"  
  
It was then that Shannar heard the guards coming towards them. He laid a steady gaze on Elrond and spoke softly. "No one but you must know I am here. I ask you to keep my presence a secret, at least until I have left." With that, Shannar once more backed away to melt into the shadows of the night.  
  
Elrond was deep in thought when the guards arrived. "Is everything all right Lord Elrond?"  
  
He stared at where Shannar had been just moments before. Shannar held his breath. Would he betray his whereabouts? But his worries soon vanished when Elrond simply replied, "Everything is fine. I just thought I heard something. You may return to your posts."  
  
He waited a few moments after the guards left before beckoning the man in hiding to come out. He was finally able to take a good look at the man. He hadn't changed that much in appearance. He held himself up with the pride of a warrior, his body still fit and ready for battle. The times had been good to him, his face was only lined with a few wrinkles and his hair was still dark. He was dressed in the plainest of black, the only contrasting color was dark forest green cloak. And as for the haunted look that was in his eyes when he had last seen him, it was gone, replaced with a peace he had thought him never possible of having.  
  
At the same time, Shannar was also studying Elrond. Being an Elf, he hadn't aged one bit. The only difference from their last meeting was that the Lord was dressed in the robes befitting his station. The robe was made of fine silk, obviously hand sewn by the talented Elf seamstresses. The blue highlights in the silver material shined in the moonlight. Encircling his head was a circlet of silver. Shannar was once again struck by the wisdom, strength, and command this Elf projected in his whole being. Humbled, he bowed before him. "Forgive me again for the intrusion, my Lord."  
  
"You are a sensible man, I trust you to have a very good reason for coming from. Which leads me to ask where you have been all these years? You seemed to have disappeared from Middle Earth."  
  
"My companions and I settled up in the North, though I will not give you the specifics."  
  
"Your reason for coming...?"  
  
"What happened to the Ring?"  
  
Elrond paused and considered his words carefully. "You must really not have been kept up with the news. Isildur was killed right after leaving Mount Doom."  
  
Shannar was shocked to hear the news. "How did it happen?"  
  
"He and his men were attacked by orcs."  
  
Shannar felt his mouth go dry as he voiced his next question, afraid of the answer. "And the Ring?"  
  
Silence. Then, "Lost."  
  
"How can it just be lost?" Shannar felt himself starting to lose his temper. "You said you would take care of everything? How can the Ring just disappear?"  
  
"You should know better than anyone else that the Ring has a mind of his own. It betrayed Isildur. I did not know that it would happen." Elrond felt tired. It was a painful subject to bring up all these years and the warrior had touched a nerve. Back twenty years before, he had felt so guilty. If only he could have stopped Isildur, he 'should' have stopped Isildur! But he hadn't, why? Maybe the Ring had something to do with it. But he would never know.  
  
Shannar seemed to understand what Elrond was going through. There was nothing he would rather do than try take away the Elf's burden. He spoke softly, "I too am guilty. Who was it that crafted the tools which would make such a terrible weapon? Who had not the strength to resist the Ring's evil? Who had run away from the temptation instead of facing it? It was I. It is no use to ponder what could have been." He stopped for a moments before continuing. "I am also here to offer hope."  
  
"Hope. Now words of hope I would gladly listen to."  
  
Shannar then proceeded to tell Elrond of his dream. After his story, he said, "So you see. The Ring will someday be found. The good people of Middle Earth will unite together to destroy it."  
  
"Yes, but the question is whether they will succeed."  
  
The man shook his head. The Elf was sometimes a bit too cynical. "That I do not know. But all I can promise is that I will do my part, my descendants will be there to see the quest is accomplished." Shannar bowed again to the Elf Lord. "It is time I left. I thank you Lord Elrond."  
  
Elrond smiled. "What is there to thank me for? I should be thanking you, for bringing me hope. I have foreseen that in the times to come, hope will be something scarce in the lands of Middle Earth."  
  
"Then I am all the more pleased that I was able to give you my service."  
  
"Farewell to you, Heru Shannar."  
  
The other man looked puzzled at that remark. "What did you just call me?"  
  
"Lord Shannar. I have also foreseen something for you. You and your descendants will do many great things, and I feel that you deserve the title." Elrond raised his hand in farewell. "Naamarie."  
  
That was a word which Shannar understood. "Naamarie, Heru Elrond." And with one final bow, Shannar disappeared. Elrond never saw him again.  
  
**********  
  
Shannar and Dane were soon back in their village. Shannar and his three companions soon began the training of their children. The students were eager to learn and their teachers were patient, by the time the younger generations were grown up, they too had mastered all they were taught.  
  
By the Third Age year 30, Shannar was now 1891 years old. By the dark powers of Sauron and the one Ring, Shannar, Dane, Mithlin, and Gwenor were granted unnatural long life though they were still mortals. In the year 34, Shannar and his three lifelong friends were struck with a terrible illness. Whether due by natural causes or because of their prolonged life, no one would ever know. Before the very eyes of their friends and family, they seemed suddenly to age and weaken. One by one, Dane, Mithlin, and Gwenor died, and the people of the village mourned their deaths. Their children were then appointed Captains.  
  
Before his death only weeks later, Shannar spoke his last words in the presence of his wife, his children, and the children of his dear friends. So as to remember in the years to come, his words were recorded and are now written in the book "The History of Shannaran:  
  
"My friends and family, my time here will not be long. Do not weep for me, I have lived a life full of both despair and joy. I have been blessed in my life to have received love and hope after a service in darkness. I only pray that you will never give into the darkness. I urge you to pass on to your children, and them to their children, the secrets of the gifts they will receive. One day the Ring will be found and they will need to fulfill the deed of destroying it. May the strength of all that is good be with you."  
  
And with that, at the age of 1895 years old, Shannar passed away.  
  
His son Ennar was made Lord of the village, and in honor of his father, the village was named Shannaran. And with his father's last wish in mind, Ennar and his Captains established a chain of informants. Sending them out in secret to all parts of Middle Earth, their jobs were to gather all and any information. In this way, Ennar believed that someday the whereabouts of the One Ring would be found. But in his lifetime, and the lifetimes of his children, the Ring was never found.  
  
**********  
  
Author's Note: Hope you liked this chapter! This here is the end of Shannar's part of my story. The next book of the Legends of Shannar will begin in Third Age 1300 with the main character being Minnar and Gwendolyn. For those who are very familiar with the history of Middle Earth, the year 1300 was when the Lord of the Nazgul disguised as the Witch King begins to take over the lands of Arnor and establishes the lands of Angmar. The next few chapters will deal with how the descendants of Shannar resist the first invasions. Please review! 


End file.
